Display Strip and Package Assembly

ABSTRACT

It is the object of the invention to provide a display strip having sufficient punch hole strength for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, and package assembly. 
     The invention is a display strip for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, which at least comprises a substrate layer containing a long fiber having a fiber length of not less than a width of the display strip and a sealant layer having heat-sealability, a punch hole being formed at an upper portion for hanging.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a display strip having sufficient punch hole strength for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, and package assembly.

BACKGROUND ART

Some products such as snack foods are generally packed in pillow packages (such as vertical pillow types and horizontal pillow types) and sold. In many cases, such product-enclosed bags are arranged on display racks in stores and sold. However, in such cases, each and every bag has to be placed on the racks by hand, and the display place for sale is restricted only to the given display racks.

A display method for product sale, called strip bag display, which requires no display rack, is known. As shown in FIG. 1, the strip bag display is a display form in which plurality of products are each attached to a tape material with a certain width, called a display strip, and hung. This display form needs no display rack and enables display and sale at any place such as a place beside a register in a store and a front desk area in a hotel.

In a conventional display strip form, for example, a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is fixed on the back side of a paper or resin tape that has preliminarily punched holes in certain positions, through which product-enclosed bags are each attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. In another form, for example, a paper or resin tape has resin hooks preliminarily fixed thereon in certain positions, and product-enclosed bags are each punched and hung on the hook through the punch hole. However, these display strip forms have difficulty in automating the process of attaching product-enclosed bags to the display strip. Thus, the strip bag display has not been widely used yet.

Against this problem, yet another display strip is proposed which has a heat sealing layer on one side such that product-enclosed bags can be directly bonded to the display strip by heat sealing (for example, see Patent Document 1 and the like). With this display strip, it is very easy to automate a continuous process including the steps of enclosing a product in a bag and attaching the product-enclosed bag to the display strip.

One end of such a display strip is hung on a hook provided on a rack and the like in order to display a plurality of the product-enclosed bags which are arranged and fixed on the display strip. For such display by hanging on the hook, a punch hole is generally formed at an end portion of the display strip. The hole punching process can easily be performed by punching using a punch and thus is preferably used for mass production at low cost. However, the display strip can often be broken at the punch hole portion, even though it is designed to have sufficient strength for use in a state where a specific number of product-enclosed bags are attached to it and even though it is designed to have a strength that enables it to withstand an impact when the displayed product-enclosed bag is pulled and peeled.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problems which the Invention is to Solve

Under the circumstances, it is an object of the invention to provide a display strip having sufficient punch hole strength for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, and package assembly.

The invention is a display strip for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, which at least comprises a substrate layer containing a long fiber having a fiber length of not less than a width of the display strip and a sealant layer having heat-sealability, a punch hole being formed at an upper portion for hanging.

The invention is described in detail below.

The inventors have made investigations on a cause of the frequent breakage of the conventional display strip at the punch hole portion and finally found that the punch hole strength is extremely reduced when a notch-like incision is formed at the punch hole portion due to blunting of the edge of the knife for forming punch holes. Such a notch is inevitably formed as long as a hole punching process with a punch is performed. The inventors have made further investigations and finally found that if a substrate containing long fibers having not less than a predetermined fiber length is used, the extreme reduction in punch hole strength can be inhibited even when a notch is formed, so that the invention has been completed.

The display strip of the invention includes at least a substrate layer and a sealant layer. The substrate layer contains long fibers having a fiber length of not less than the width of the display strip. An extreme reduction in punch hole strength can be inhibited by the use of a substrate layer containing such long fibers, even when a notch is formed.

The substrate layer containing the long fibers is not particularly limited, but, for example, a substrate layer comprising a long fiber nonwoven fabric is preferable.

The long fiber nonwoven fabric is not particularly limited as long as the fabric is a long fiber nonwoven fabric containing long fibers having a fiber length of not less than the width of the display strip (usually, about 20 to 100 mm), but, for example, any one of a nonwoven fabric formed by melt blowing process, a nonwoven fabric formed by flash spinning process, and a nonwoven fabric formed by spunbond process, can be used. Among others, the nonwoven fabric formed by flash spinning process, and the nonwoven fabric formed by spunbond process are preferable.

The spunbond nonwoven fabric is a product formed into a nonwoven fabric which is obtained by forming a resin into the form of fibers from a spinning nozzle at the same time when the resin is deposited into a sheet form while the fibers are kept in a long fiber form, and then thermocompressing this deposited body between heating rolls. The fibers used therein may be core-sheath form composite fibers having a core of a high melting point resin and a sheath of a low melting point resin.

The flash spinning nonwoven fabric is a nonwoven fabric which is obtained by dissolving a polyolefin type polymer into a solvent such as a halogenated carbon at a high temperature under a high pressure, then giving a rapid pressure loss to the solution, thereby preparing a solution where phases are finely separated, discharging this phase-separated solution from a spinning nozzle, giving orientation to the polymer having the form of fibers and further forming a three-dimensional network structure, making this into a wave form with a conveyor and the like, and then compressing it with rolls.

For the display strip of the invention, there can be used a spunbond nonwoven fabric or a flash spinning nonwoven fabric produced by a conventionally known method.

The material of the long fibers is not particularly limited, and examples include polyolefin such as polypropylene, and polyethylene; polyester; and nylon. Among others, polyolefin and/or polyester are preferable.

The substrate layer may have a short fiber layer containing short fibers having a fiber length of not more than the width of the display strip besides the layer comprising a long fiber nonwoven fabric. When such a short fiber layer is laminated on the long fiber nonwoven fabric, obtained is an advantageous effect that the hardness of the display strip can be made higher if desired.

The short fiber layer is not particularly limited, and examples include a pulp layer and a paper layer.

When the substrate layer comprises the long fiber nonwoven fabric layer and the short fiber layer, the content of the long fibers in the whole substrate layer is preferably 20% by weight or more of the total of the long fibers and the short fibers. If it is less than 20% by weight, a sufficient punch hole strength may not be obtained.

The thickness of the substrate layer is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to be from 30 to 1000 μm. If it is less than 30 μm, the resulting punch hole strength can be insufficient so that product-enclosed bags can be broken when they are displayed or detached. If it is more than 1000 μm, the substrate layer can serves as a heat insulator so that heat can insufficiently be conducted to the sealant layer in a heat-sealing. From this viewpoint, a bulky nonwoven fabric comprising highly-crimped fibers is not preferable as the nonwoven fabric to be used.

The sealant layer is not particularly limited as long as it can show sufficient heat-sealability, but, for example, the sealant layer preferably comprises a low melting point resin. The low melting point resin is not particularly limited, and examples include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polypropylene, copolymers of propylene and any other olefin, and low density polyethylene.

If necessary, the sealant layer may further contain a common additive such as wax, an ultraviolet blocking agent, an antioxidant, a plasticizer, a lubricant, a pigment, and a dye.

The sealant layer may be formed over substantially the entire surface of the display strip of the invention, may be formed in a striped pattern, or may be formed only at a specific portion to which a product is attached. The sealant layer is preferably formed over substantially the entire surface of the display strip, because products can be attached to any part on the display strip. As used herein, the term “substantially” means that the punched portion or the peripheral portion and the like to which no product is attached may be excluded.

The display strip of the invention preferably includes an intermediate layer comprising a resin between the substrate layer and the sealant layer in order to improve the adhesion between the substrate layer and the sealant layer, and to increase the strength of the whole of the display strip and the punch hole strength. The resin constituting the intermediate layer is not particularly limited, but it is preferably polyolefin such as polyethylene.

In order to improve the strength of the whole of the display strip and the punch hole strength, the display strip of the invention preferably has a protective layer comprising a resin on the surface opposite to the face with the sealant layer being formed.

The resin constituting the protective layer is not particularly limited, but preferable examples thereof include polyolefin such as polypropylene, and polyester.

In the case that the display strip of the invention has the intermediate layer and/or the protective layer, it is preferable that a part of the resin constituting the intermediate layer and/or the protective layer penetrates gaps between the long fibers or the short fibers contained in the substrate layer. When the intermediate layer and/or the protective layer is integrated with the substrate layer in this way, the strength of the whole of the obtained display strip of the invention and the punch hole strength thereof are more improved.

The display strip of the invention is not particularly limited, and examples are in the form of a tape, a sheet and the like. In addition, at one end of the display strip of the invention, a punch hole through which the display strip with products attached thereto can be hung on a hook such that the products can be displayed, is formed.

The method of producing the display strip of the invention is not particularly limited, and a known conventional method can be used. For example, a method of bonding the substrate layer comprising a spunbond nonwoven fabric and the like to the sealant layer produced by extrusion molding via an adhesive. Alternatively, the sealant layer may be formed on the substrate layer by a coating method.

A method of laminating the sealant layer and the substrate layer, which are each independently produced, with polyethylene and the like being extruded and sandwiched between them; or a method of providing a laminated film comprising the sealant layer and a polyethylene layer and the like and laminating the substrate layer to the laminated film on the polyethylene layer side, is preferably used in the case of forming the intermediate layer.

Any conventional bag can be used as the bag which encloses the product to be attached to the display strip of the invention, however, a bag comprising at least a sealant layer and a substrate layer is preferred. The sealant layer on the surface of the bag preferably comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, a copolymer of propylene and any other olefin, low density polyethylene, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The sealant layer on the surface of the bag also preferably comprises a heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) film. The term “heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) film” means a product with heat-sealability that is generally imparted by forming a very thin terpolymer layer comprising a resin having heat-sealability such as a propylene-ethylene-butene terpolymer on the surface of biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPP), and particularly in the U.S. and Europe, it is frequently used for bag materials.

The bag for enclosing a product and to be attached to the display strip of the invention include, for example, a bag comprising a biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPP) layer/a printed layer/an adhesive layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/a cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; a bag comprising a biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPP) layer/a printed layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/a cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; a bag comprising a biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPP) layer/a printed layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; a bag comprising a biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPP) layer/a printed layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; a bag comprising a transparent vapor-deposited biaxial oriented polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer/a printed layer/a cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; a bag comprising a heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) layer/a printed layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) layer; a bag comprising a heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) layer/a printed layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited cast polypropylene (CPP) layer; and a bag comprising a heat-sealable biaxial oriented polypropylene (OPH) layer/a printed layer/an adhesive layer/a polyethylene (PE) layer/an aluminum-vapor-deposited cast polypropylene (CPP) layer.

A method of attaching the product-enclosed bag to the display strip of the invention is not particularly limited, but, for example, the product-enclosed bag is first placed in such a manner that the front side of the bag is in contact with the display strip, and then the upper portion of the bag is heat-sealed so that the bag is bonded to the display strip. A specific number of product-enclosed bags are bonded to the display strip, and then each product-enclosed bag is turned upside down around the heat-sealed portion serving as an axis, so that the front face of each bag is reversed against the display strip. In such a state, the display strip is hung on a hook and the like through the punch hole formed at one end of the display strip and displayed, and therefore, if each product-enclosed bag is pulled downward, it can easily be detached from the display strip by a small force.

The seal strength between the bag and the display strip is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to be from 1 to 50 N/30 mm. If it is less than 1 N/30 mm, the product can fall under its own weight, depending on the weight of the product, and if it is more than 50 N/30 mm, the hung product-enclosed bag may not be detached by pulling in some cases. It is more preferably from 5 to 30 N/30 mm.

Using the display strip of the invention, product-enclosed bags can be fixed thereon by heat sealing, and a large number of products can easily be attached thereto by automation. Furthermore, being hung through the punch hole formed at its upper portion, a large number of products can be displayed even in a narrow space. The punch hole has very high strength so that the display strip can be prevented from being damaged by the product's own weight or an impact applied in detaching the product-enclosed bag.

Package assembly which is obtained by bonding the display strip of the invention and a product-enclosed bag by heat sealing, also constitutes the invention.

EFFECT OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a display strip having sufficient punch hole strength for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, and package assembly can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a strip bag display using a display strip.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention is described in more detail by way of the examples, however it is not intended that the invention be limited to these examples.

EXAMPLE 1

As a substrate layer, a product obtained by subjecting one surface of a 260 μm-thick long fiber nonwoven fabric (Tyvek 1082D, manufactured by DuPont-Asahi Flash Spun Products Co., Ltd.; 105 g/m²) formed from polyethylene by flash spinning process to corona treatment, and as a sealant layer, a 50 μm-thick film containing ethylene-vinyl acetate resin (EVA) were used, and the substrate layer and the sealant layer were laminated to produce a sheet having a three-layer structure of Tyvek 1082D (260 μm)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm), while low density polyethylene (LDPE) was melt-extruded into a 30 μm-thick layer between the substrate layer and the sealant layer.

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

EXAMPLE 2

A sheet having a three-layer structure of Eltas E01070 (350 μm)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm) was obtained in the same manner as Example 1 except that as the substrate layer, a product obtained by subjecting one surface of a 350 μm-thick long fiber nonwoven fabric (Eltas E01070, manufactured by Asahi Kasei Fibers Corp.) formed from a polyester by spunbond process to corona treatment, was used.

The resultant sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm. A punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end, so as to produce a display strip.

EXAMPLE 3

A 350 μm-thick long fiber nonwoven fabric (Eltas E01070, manufactured by Asahi Kasei Fibers Corp.) formed from a polyester by spunbond process was used as a substrate layer, and this substrate layer and a 12 μm-thick biaxial oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) were stuck onto each other by dry lamination. In the same manner as Example 1, while low density polyethylene (LDPE) was melt-extruded into a 30 μm-thick layer between the face of the Eltas E01070 side of this laminated body and a sealant layer comprising a 50 μm-thick film containing ethylene-vinyl acetate resin (EVA), the substrate layer and the sealant layer were laminated to obtain a sheet having a four-layer structure of PET (12 μm)/Eltas E01070 (350 μm)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm).

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

EXAMPLE 4

As a substrate layer, a 180 μm-thick long fiber nonwoven fabric (Tyvek 1560B, manufactured by DuPont-Asahi Flash Spun Products Co., Ltd.; 59 g/m²) formed from polyethylene by flash spinning process, and as a sealant layer, a 50 μm-thick film containing ethylene-vinyl acetate resin (EVA) were used, and low density polyethylene (LDPE) was used to tandem-laminate these layers onto a 12 μm-thick biaxial oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) to produce a sheet having a five-layer structure of PET (12 μm)/LDPE (12 μm)/Tyvek 1560B (180 μm)/LDPE (12 μm)/EVA (50 μM).

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

EXAMPLE 5

A sheet having a three-layer structure of ecule 3501A (270 μm)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm) was obtained in the same manner as Example 1 expect that as the substrate layer, a product obtained by subjecting one surface of a 270 μm-thick long fiber nonwoven fabric (ecule 3501A, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.; 50 g/m²) formed from a polyester by spunbond process to corona treatment, was used.

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1

A sheet having a three-layer structure of PET (38 μm)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm) was obtained in the same manner as Example 1 expect that as a substrate layer, a 38 μm-thick biaxial oriented polyethylene terephthalate film (PET) was used.

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2

A sheet having a three-layer structure of the thin paper (g/m²)/LDPE (30 μm)/EVA (50 μm) was obtained in the same manner as Example 1 expect that as a substrate layer, a thin paper, the weight per unit of which was 80 g/m², was used.

The obtained sheet was cut into a width of 35 mm, and a punch hole with a diameter of 6 mm was formed at a position of 1 inch from its upper end to produce a display strip.

(Evaluation)

A notch having a size of about 1 mm was purposely formed at the punch hole portion in each of the display strips produced in Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2. Each of the display strips was hung on a hook for hanging through the notched portion of the punch hole, and was pulled downward at a rate of 300 mm/min, and the strength at which the display strip was broken was measured, and the obtained value was defined as the punch hole strength.

The results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Punch hole strength (N) Example 1 35 Example 2 45 Example 3 40 Example 4 52 Example 5 38 Comparative Example 1 14 Comparative Example 2 25

According to Table 1, a sufficient punch hole strength was obtained in each of the display strips produced in Examples 1 to 5 even when the notch was formed. It appears that this resulted from the matter that the long fiber component contained in the substrate layer blocks the spread of breakdown so as to prevent the breakdown.

On the other hand, it was found that in the display strip produced in Comparative Example 1, the punch hole strength was extremely lowered by the formation of the notch. In the display strip produced in Comparative Example 2, a sufficient punch hole strength was not obtained because of a shortage in the strength of the paper itself used as the substrate layer.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a display strip having sufficient punch hole strength for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, and package assembly can be provided. 

1. A display strip for allowing a plurality of product-enclosed bags to be attached thereto for the purpose of arrangement and display, which at least comprises a substrate layer containing a long fiber having a fiber length of not less than a width of the display strip and a sealant layer having heat-sealability, a punch hole being formed at an upper portion for hanging.
 2. The display strip according to claim 1, wherein the long fiber comprises polyolefin and/or polyester.
 3. The display strip according to claim 1, wherein the substrate layer comprises a long fiber nonwoven fabric.
 4. The display strip according to claim 3, wherein the substrate layer has a layer comprising the long fiber nonwoven fabric and a short fiber layer containing a short fiber having a fiber length of not more than the width of the display strip.
 5. The display strip according to claim 4, wherein a content of the long fiber in the whole of the substrate layer is 20% by weight or more of the total weight of the long fiber and the short fiber.
 6. The display strip according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the sealant layer comprises a low melting point resin.
 7. The display strip according to claim 6, which has an intermediate layer comprising a resin between the substrate layer and the sealant layer.
 8. The display strip according to claim 7, wherein the intermediate layer comprises polyolefin.
 9. The display strip according to claim 8, which has a protective layer comprising a resin on a surface opposite to a face with the sealant layer being formed.
 10. The display strip according to claim 9, wherein a part of the resin constituting the intermediate layer and/or the protective layer penetrates a gap between the long fibers or the short fibers contained in the substrate layer.
 11. Package assembly, which is obtained by bonding the display strip according to claim 10, and a product-enclosed bag by heat sealing. 